The Plight of the Corporate Traveller

by Anton Gillis

“Working Nine to Five…”

Dolly Parton’s famous 1980 hit rings angrily in my ears whenever I think about wasted
corporate travel budgets. The unnecessary frills of the extravagant hotel industry
impact the guest negatively and limit the financial freedom and enjoyment of their
stay.

A modern trend has emerged. Employees are given free rein to spend their travel budget
as they please, no longer reliant on bureaucratic HR to organise their trips. With the
shackles broken, a savvy businessman or woman can now have their choice of
accommodation, restaurant, shuttle service and accompanying travellers.

The door is open for executives to have more say in how their travel budget is divided
and spent. With this new power comes more responsibility. Take entertainment, for
example, the traveller now has more options available to him. What about a few rounds of
drinks at the 19th hole? No longer dictated to by corporate protocol a thrifty traveller
can ditch the cramped, expensive hotel room in favour of a more comfortable and
satisfying experience.

Serviced apartments are the new “home away from home” within corporate travel. Serviced
apartments first win when compared to cramped hotel rooms is the space - there actually
is some. More than extra space, the home away from home is easier to mimic. Avoid the
overpriced Scotch and stale peanuts at the hotel bar and rather invite a few colleagues
over for drinks in the comfort of your own space. No need for stark conference rooms
with overpowering air-conditioning, rather enjoy the added privacy of hosting meetings
in your own apartment.

Returning after dinner and a few drinks, you stumble through the hotel reception under
the watchful eye of the maître d' making you question if you’ve broken any rules. You
successfully avoid interrogation making your way to your room, only to discover you’re
staying next to a room full of kids on school holiday. Staying awake through tomorrow’s
8 am meeting is going to be a challenge. What you’d pay right now for a good night’s
sleep…

Being in your own setting, a homely serviced apartment affords you privacy and a
quieter, better night’s sleep.

Having your room made up and cleaned every day is a luxury you will still enjoy. The
extra space the apartment provides means no more hotel room clutter when hanging up your
clothes after your shower.

Time for a quick bite for breakfast before you start your day? Rushing downstairs to
make it there by 9.29 am only to find the smallest, microscopic juice glasses invented
by Middle Earth pixies. What if all you really want is a croissant and coffee, and you
want it at 11.15 and not have to fork out the “optional” (or starve to death) $25 for
their standard breakfast plan? That $25 will be better invested in a fine bottle of red
at dinner tonight.

Nothing leaves a lasting memory quite like paying crazy prices for parking as you leave
the hotel carpark in your rental car back to the airport. If your stay requires more
than a couple trips in an Uber, rest assured, you won’t be wasting your Thai foot
massage budget on unnecessary parking fees.

Serviced apartments allow you to take control of your travel budget. Here’s how the
tailored solutions can help you can cut down:

Self-catering possibilities reduce cash spent on hotel restaurantsOrder food delivery
and eat off real plates, not out of cartons. How civilized!Avoiding exorbitant nightly
hotel fees which include unnecessary services and features you never use.But, you still
get the essentials, like...Free parkingDaily housekeeping at a time when it suits
youSwimming pool, gym, sauna, Jacuzzi just like a hotel - includedOutdoor barbecue area
to entertain friends at the poolOf course: Wifi, Cable TV, etc.

Success will be measured on repeat business not on a one-night stand because serviced
apartments happened to be priced right in a competitive market.

Ending off with that song again, take charge and let that travel budget work for you
from nine to five, not you for it! Stop letting hoteliers dictate what you get. You
deserve the little extras you want, making your work trips feel that you are working
from home.

About Woodmere Service Apartments

Family owned & professionally managed since 1982. A secure & friendly atmosphere with all the comforts of home. Select from different apartment sizes & prices.